He kehau ho 'oma 'ema 'e ke aloha
by Beth Pryor
Summary: In this sequel to “The Mix Tape,” Max and Logan pursue another doctor whose research can potentially offer a cure for Logan. Despite Max’s reservations, they set off on the adventure together. S1 M/L, X5 Family action, possibly a plot. Definite fluff.
1. Chapter 1

**Title: **He kehau ho`oma`ema`e ke aloha

**Author:** Beth Pryor

**Rating:** T

**Summary:** In this sequel to "The Mix Tape," Max and Logan pursue another doctor whose research can potentially offer a cure for Logan. Despite Max's reservations, they set off on the adventure together. S1 M/L set after Female Trouble and sort of as alternative path to the end of S1. Will feature lots of Max/X-5 family action as well as M/L romance, angst and fluff. Hopefully a smidgen of a plot will emerge as well.

**Disclaimer:** Dark Angel and the recognizable characters belong to whomever they belong to but not to me. This exercise is completely for fun, and I'm not making any money from it. Specific scientific and trade-related resources will be sited when explicitly used. Please email or PM with questions, and feel free to leave reviews.

**A/N:** For those of you who watch South Park, I barely resisted calling this story "Cure-burger in Paradise," a little offering by Jimmy Buffett in my favorite episode Tonsil Trouble. Still, I did use it as my working title.

* * *

**He kehau ho`oma`ema`e ke aloha**

Translation: Love is like a cleansing dew. Love removes hurt. Love conquers all.

Chapter 1

Logan Cale was going to spend the weekend online. Not that this was an uncommon thing, but Max was hoping that in light of their new personal developments that she'd at least manage to wrangle him away for an hour or two. But she knew she she'd lost him for the foreseeable future when he made his way directly to the computer after breakfast and lodged no protests when she offered to clean up the kitchen. She managed to break into his research long enough to give him the flash drive with the information she had collected. He stopped for another five minutes some three hours later when she brought him a cup of coffee and a turkey sandwich.

It was around that time that Max had tired of his inattention to her, frustration and grumbling with the dodgy server connection, and his return to classical music. Beethoven might be psyching Logan up, but if the stereo repeated the Fifth Symphony one more time, she was going to dive through the window again. It was a little after noon when she gathered some things to head back to her place. She couldn't remember if it had been two or three days since she'd been home as it was. Regardless, she definitely needed some girl time with Original Cindy, especially now that Logan was easing back to his cranky ways, an inevitability when there was work to be done. She stuffed the several days' worth of dirty clothes she'd amassed into her Jam Pony bag and took the elevator down to the garage. Disoriented for a moment, she searched for the Ninja, totally freaking out for about five seconds before she remembered she'd stopped at the penthouse the day before as a bike messenger, not a cat burglar. She trudged back to the elevator and back up to Logan's place.

"It's just me," she called into the foyer as she entered, knowing he might be a little jumpy after all the coffee and screen watching. "I forgot I have my Jam Pony bike instead of the Ninja. Can I take the car over to Cindy's?" She thought he must have called out some sort of answer, but she didn't hear it as she digested the word's she'd just heard herself speak. _Can I take the car over to Cindy's_ instead of _Can I take your car over to my place_. She wasn't sure when the shift had occurred, but it most certainly had. She tried to tell herself that it was only because she'd spent the past three-ish days with Logan, staying in his house, sleeping in his bed. But she knew it was more. She belonged here. That scared her, maybe even more than the prospect of capture and return to Manticore. She'd been trained _not_ to put down roots, _not_ to become involved with anyone who couldn't be left forever if necessity called for it. For the past ten years, her survival had been contingent upon her ability to cut and run at any time. Jam Pony and her apartment in Sector 5 didn't count because they weren't a real life, a real home like she and Logan had here. _Crap!_ She was doing it again. Suddenly she understood exactly why Zack had gotten so angry with her the last time she'd seen him, when she wouldn't run. She was standing in the front hall, completely still, barely breathing when Logan appeared.

"Max?" he asked as her approached slowly. "Are you okay?"

"Huh?" She looked up abruptly. "Logan, yeah, what? No. I'm fine. Can I take the car? Your car," she corrected quickly.

"Yeah, same answer as 30 seconds ago." He tossed her the keys. "Any idea when you'll be back?"

"Any idea when you'll be done with all this for the evening?" she shot.

He ignored her. "Try to be in before curfew, huh? We don't need any trouble with the sector police right now. Wanna pick up something for dinner, too?" He dug his wallet from his pocket and handed her a couple of bills. "Chinese maybe? Or whatever you're in the mood for."

She nodded silently and kissed his cheek before heading back to the door.

"Max?" Logan's voice stopped her. She turned back again. "Your bike?" He pointed to the vehicle, leaning against the wall just past where he had stopped in the foyer. "Don't want to forget that." She moved stiffly toward it. "You sure you're okay? Want me to come with you?" he tacked on as an afterthought.

She shook her head curtly. "No, I'm fine. It's fine. I'll be back in a few hours. Don't work too hard, okay?"

He grinned. "Never."

By five thirty that evening, a mere nine hours after she had first introduced him to the idea, he had transmitted his medical records along with personal correspondence to Dr. Makiko Takahashi in Osaka. Logan had also scouted the eight main Hawaiian Islands via USGS and NSA satellite images for terrain and population information. He'd contacted realtors and travel agents from Chicago to Seoul for more information on possible rental locations for a long-term stay somewhere in the Islands. Since it was Saturday afternoon and then evening in the US and Sunday morning in Asia, he hadn't gotten much feedback other than out of office messages. He sighed loudly as another email bounced back to him as yet another would-be contact informed him he or she would be available first thing on Monday morning and not an instant before. Why was no one else as ready to do business as he was?

It would still be hours, maybe even four, until Max returned, and he missed her already. He paced back and forth in front of the computers in the chair in a very poor attempt to harness some of the excited energy that sat knotted in his stomach. It was easier and safer for him to throw himself into research and planning than to think about what could possibly happen when they met the doctor, when the treatments started, when they were finished. But no one was giving him any assistance as he attempted to avoid those thoughts. He'd have to remember to tell Max not to break any crazy life-changing news on the weekend anymore. He had to do something before he exploded. He tried the loop of the apartment, but it didn't alleviate nearly enough tension. Finally, he broke down and entered the exercise room. He dropped to the mat and started the modified exercises Bling had given him for times just like this. After he'd stretched and worked out his unfeeling, unmoving muscles, he moved on to the upper body exercises, completing the prescribed number of reps with each maneuver. Bling would be so proud of him, that he'd channeled his nervous energy into something productive.

When he finished, he contemplated another shower. He had gotten a little sweaty, and he really had nothing but time and hot water to waste. As he slid under the water, all the pieces of information he'd collected in his head from the day seemed to flow over him with the warm spray.

The selection of Hawaii over Japan or California had been an easy one. Max had never been anywhere, really, so a Hawaiian vacation would be perfect for their first real getaway. Logan's first choice island base had been Lanai. That and Molokai had always been his favorites, but the reason for this trip differed vastly from any he had taken before. He doubted they'd be able to find suitable lodging on either of the two smaller islands comprising Maui County. Lanai's population hovered around 3,000, and while there were two resorts still in operation on the island, neither offered the type of privacy their journey would require. At either of the resorts, their group would require a suite plus another room, at least, and he had calculated it would run him close to $50,000 just for the rooms. Not that money was really an issue, but he felt he could spend it more wisely. He was also afraid they would find a paucity of available resources, not only in equipment and technology but also in day-to-day entertainment and distraction for Max, as the treatments reported in the case reports could take up to 12 weeks. He could just see her and her feline DNA stuck on the pineapple plantation island for three months with nothing to do but swim, dive and hike. She'd have it all scouted and explored in three days, tops.

It seemed like Maui was going to be the logical answer. Vacation rentals were readily available, it was still within his favorite area, and there were enough resources and entertainment to keep them all occupied for the entire time the doctor would prescribe. Yet, the area wasn't as heavily populated as Oahu or even the Big Island. They would certainly be able to find a private spot to set up a clinic-like location that would meet their needs. There were also plenty of resort locations available for a real vacation once they were finished. Logan found himself thinking back to the numerous retreats he'd spent in the area. There were so many things he wanted to show Max, so many things he wanted her to experience. Hopefully, by the time they were ready to leave, he'd be able to show her.

He stopped himself. There wasn't any need to go down this road again. He'd spent the better part of the past two hours scarcely avoiding it. He slapped the faucet down, stopping the flow of the water and reached for a towel. If he went really slowly and concentrated intently on conjugating Latin verbs, he would make it until she got back. Maybe. Or he could just lie back on the bed and rest his eyes until she got back.

* * *

"I had to tell him, didn't I?" The more Max thought about this whole thing, the worse she felt. She desperately hoped that OC would validate her fears but also agree with her decision to inform Logan of the treatment possibility.

"Yeah, Boo. You had to tell him. What if he heard from somebody else that you'd talked to the doctor or that you knew about it all along? He wouldn't ever understand that no matter how much he loves you." Cindy assured Max that this level of honesty in her relationship with Logan was vitally important.

Max nodded. OC was exactly right, but she still worried. "And now he's so excited. He's spent the whole day trying to get in contact with the doctor and setting up rentals in Hawaii. I finally had to leave. I just couldn't watch it anymore.

"What if we go there and it doesn't work, or worse yet, it does and he loses it again." She grabbed the pillow beside her on the couch and hugged it close to her, as though she needed support in vocalizing the next part. "Cindy, he was going to kill himself. He told me he wasn't going to live his life in the chair, and he meant it. He had a loaded gun on his desk. He was going to do it." Looking down, Max realized she held a white-knuckled grip on the throw pillow.

Original Cindy noticed this, too, and placed her hand on top of Max's, relaxing it. "He's got you now, Max," she tried to reassure the younger woman even though she was a bit shaken by Max's revelation of Logan's suicidal thoughts and gesture.

"I'm not enough." Max shook her head sadly. "It was my fault to begin with. My stupid transfusion started it all."

"And he would have died without it," Cindy reminded her. "That doctor told you he was dyin'. Like you gonna sit back and watch with Logan all sick like that, needin' somethin' you could give him. Of course you gonna give him your blood, and you'd do it again if you had to." She looked at Max and held her gaze. "Ain't no question about that in Original Cindy's mind."

Max dropped her eyes to her lap and concentrated on picking at the cuticle of her middle fingernail. "Yeah, I would, but this is different. He's healthy now. It's not a matter of life and death, and I don't want it to become one."

"Max, he'll be aiight." Original Cindy decided. "He knows what might happen, and he's gotta take that chance. Only this time he knows you'll be there beside him."

Max shook her head. "All he knows is that it was working before, so that means it'll have to work again." She rubbed the bridge of her nose. "God, I'm such a downer. It could work. It probably will, and his life will be so much better." She paused before adding, "Our life will be so much better."

"You just gotta make yourself think like that, Boo. You can't focus on the negativity. Focus instead on findin' you a hot bikini to be wearing out on the pristine beaches. My personal preference on a fine lady like yourself would be white, especially with the tan you'll be gettin'."

"White? Can't you see right through it?" Max asked, thinking a white bathing suit would be about like wearing cotton underwear in the ocean.

Cindy shot Max a sly grin. "If your boy's lucky."


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Thanks to all the readers and reviewers.

* * *

Chapter 2

Max didn't have the energy to discuss any other aspects of her relationship with Logan, no matter how much she needed Cindy's input. She just decided to throw a bunch of stuff back in her messenger bag and get out of there before the subject came up. She already had some of her things in his spare bedroom, so it wouldn't be that big of a deal to slip a few more into the drawers. As evidenced by her earlier freak out in the foyer, she wasn't sure where they were in the scheme of things, or if she was ready to talk about how much she could appropriately leave in the penthouse or how many consecutive nights she could stay without actually moving in, but she kinda needed to know. Plus, it _was_ easier for her to have some of her staples available for nights when they were, um, working late. She looked through her own drawers, not that there was so much to choose from, and selected a few shirts, pants and underthings. Cindy watched from the doorway as Max closed the bag and slung it over her shoulder.

"He has toothpaste, drawers and drawers full of toothpaste," Max revealed. "I'll bring a tube tomorrow," she paused, "Or whenever."

"Sugah, you just spend as much time with Logan as you two need. Original Cindy is here when you need her, aiight?"

Max nodded, thankful that Cindy just understood. "I gotta pick us up some dinner on the way back. You want anything?"

"Nah, I ate earlier." She pointed at the heap of fabric on the floor beside Max's bed. "Why'd you bring your dirty clothes back here? He's the one with the washin' machine or laundry service or whatevah."

"Oh, yeah." Max grabbed the pile she'd just dumped from her bag. Everything she'd ever left there had been returned to her clean and pressed. Why hadn't she thought of that back at Logan's as she was streaking out the door? "I'll take them back then." She grabbed the phone and called in their dinner order. "What should I do about my bike?" She tried to sound absolutely nonchalant about the whole thing and not like her sanity depended on figuring it all out in the next five minutes.

"Which one?" Cindy asked, looking over at the Ninja, placed prominently in the living room.

"Not my baby," she whined, walking over to rub her hand down the seat. "I'll have to pick it up later." She hadn't even thought about how they'd do that or if they'd need to. Not wanting to draw attention to her pauses, she pulled herself back into the conversation with Cindy. "My work bike, I mean, should I assume I'll be staying there tomorrow night and need it on Monday morning? Is that too forward?" She realized she was sliding into the trap of talking about how she and Logan most certainly were "like that," but she realized she wasn't going to navigate all these obstacles without Original Cindy's wisdom.

"You have it with you now?" Cindy asked, contemplating the situation.

"Yeah, it's in the Aztek."

"Just leave it in there. You'll either need it to get home tomorrow or to work on Monday."

"Oh, right," Max realized. "Good thing I have you around, you know?" She kinda sucked at being a girl.

"I do know, Boo. You'd better jet, though. Don't want to get caught by the sector police again," Cindy pointed out.

"Right. Thanks. I'll call you tomorrow, k?"

"Yeah, girl. No problem," Cindy winked.

"Late." Max waved her goodbye and took the steps two at a time to the street level. She slid into the driver's seat and drove a few blocks toward the edge of Sector 5. When she pulled up to the Chinese place she frequented, the delivery guy, Manny, met her at the car. She handed him Logan's bills in exchange for her food. He grinned as he pocketed the generous tip as Max started her trip across four sectors to Fogle Towers. What seemed like hours later, but was in reality only about 35 minutes, she pulled into Logan's space and sauntered toward the elevator. It arrived quickly and she stepped in, their food and her bags hanging from either of her arms. She'd figure out the bike stuff and all that went with it later.

When the doors opened, she wasn't completely surprised to find a darkened apartment. What did surprise her, however, was finding the computers quiet and the office empty. She deposited the Chinese boxes on the counter and her bags of clothes in the guest room before moving back into the master bedroom. She smiled as she came into the room. The bathroom light was still blazing, but Logan was down for the count, sprawled across the bed. The scent of his soap and shampoo drifted in the air but filled her nostrils as she took a seat beside him. Slowly and gently, she traced her fingers along the inside of his arm. He shivered a little and brought his other hand over to scratch the area she had stimulated. When his hand found hers, a smile curled on his lips. He squeezed her fingers for a second before opening his eyes.

"Ah, that's nice," he breathed into the air around them.

"What's nice?" she asked, reclining beside him.

"That I'm awake and you're still here." He turned his face toward hers to kiss her cheek. "How's Cindy?"

Max pulled herself into a ball and closer to Logan. "Fine. She told me that if we're going on a trip I'll need to go shopping. Apparently, my wardrobe isn't tropical enough. More like, urban warfare burglar chic, whatever that means." Max omitted the white bikini nonsense as she had a feeling Logan would be siding with OC on that one.

"Hey Max," Logan started.

"Hey Logan," she answered.

"I have to say something, and I'm not sure how you'll take it, but it's important for me to say, okay?" He knew he was going out on a limb starting like that, but hell, they'd pretty much thrown caution to the wind for the past few days, hadn't they? Plus he knew that once he explained to her what he was thinking she would get it, too.

"Okay, I guess," Max conceded, scrunching up even closer to him.

"What I have is yours. Anything you want I'll do my best to give to you, anything. You're welcome here, to live, to stay, to come and go as you please, whatever. I would have said it sooner, months ago, even, but I know how much your privacy and independence matter to you." He paused. "I don't want you to stay if that's something that will make you feel uncomfortable or caged, but I hope you want to. I hope you will. Stay, I mean." He sighed as he finished, hoping he'd been clear in his discourse.

"With you?" she asked. "Here, I mean, live here?"

"Only if that's what you want. I want you to be happy and feel safe. That's the most important thing to me." He didn't want her to trap her in something that wasn't right for her. That was the last thing he wanted to do, still, he continued. "I know it's inconvenient with your job, but maybe we could work it out. I could drop you off or you could get a ride with Bling or something. We can work out something."

Max ran her hands up under his shirt on either side of his abdomen, feeling him squirm against her at the arousal of the touch. "You really want me here?" she asked, knowing she now held the advantage and he would give her a truthful answer.

Logan moaned a sigh of pleasure as she continued working the sensitive areas on his chest, abdomen, and back. "God, Max!" She was pretty sure that wasn't part of the answer. He grabbed her hands to stop them, allowing his head to clear a little. "Of course I want you here," he finally managed. "I always have and always will. But you need to be the one to decide on it 'cause there was never any doubt on my part."

"Even when I'm cranky and sulky and in a bad mood?" she asked, just making sure.

"If you're willing to put up with me even when _I'm_ cranky and sulky and in a bad mood," he assured.

"The great Eyes Only-slash-Logan Cale in a cranky pity party of sulking? Never! Who could even imagine such a thing?" She joked as his arms wrapped around her. "I _was_ kind of freaking out about my bikes and stuff, like when was I supposed to be where and how was I supposed to know when to go or stay. So kind of figuring that out would be nice, ya know?" she admitted.

"I had an idea something like that was happening," revealed Logan. He was slowly learning to interpret her actions and words, and he realized that she needed him to say the words, even if her answer was no. She needed to know where they stood, but he realized this was becoming more. "So you'll stay, then?" He sounded hopeful.

"Yeah, I mean, I might want to keep my bed and some stuff at Cindy's just in case I need a place of my own to crash sometimes, but yeah. I'll stay."

He sat up on his elbows and looked down on her. "For real?" he asked, just making sure.

"Yeah," she grinned shyly, "For real." She felt herself exhale fully for the first time that day.

He leaned over and kissed her, inhaling as he did so. "You smell like Kung Pao chicken," he pointed out, pulling back. "And I'm starving." Max laughed and offered him a hand. She helped him forward into a seated position. "Don't want to ruin the moment and all, but you're the one coming in here smelling like deliciousness knowing full well I'd be famished." He moved over into the chair.

"What makes you think that wasn't precisely my plan," she twinkled. "Come on. I'll fix you a plate so you can eat and we can get back to business."

"Excellent idea, my dear," he used the term with ease. It fit; he smiled. "Lead the way."

"Sure thing, Hot Boy," she crooned, straddling his lap and running her fingers through his hair. "If you want to go out there and eat now, who am I to stop you?" she asked before climbing off and starting down the hall, glancing seductively over her shoulder to make sure he was following.

"Jesus, Max," he groaned as he pushed off to follow her. "That shit's just mean."

* * *

"So what have you found out?" she asked cautiously as she set Logan's plate in front of him. She did want to know. Sort of.

"Well," he frowned as he accepted the chopsticks in her outstretched hand, "Not much so far. It's the freakin' weekend."

She scowled at him, "What?"

"Never mind. We'll get to that CD eventually," he told her, deciding that she wasn't ready for R. Kelly quite yet.

"Whavev," she shrugged as she dug into her dinner. "Am I just starving or is this better than usual?"

"It's not bad, actually," Logan agreed. "You want an egg roll?" He handed the plate across to her so she could grab one.

She took a large bite and swallowed about half of it before she looked back up at him. "So, not much headway today, then?" She cringed as she brought the subject up again, but she knew he'd think she was dodging it if she just let it drop.

He let his shoulders rise and fall. "I guess it was a little unrealistic for me to think that everyone else would immediately answer my emails." He took another bite, smiling at her as he chewed. "I'm guessing that I won't hear anything until Monday. Unless," his eyes brightened, "Unless I get some word from Asia tomorrow. It will be Monday there when it's Sunday here. They're 17 hours ahead of us."

"So by late afternoon tomorrow it will be Monday morning in Osaka," she finished for him.

"Well, yeah." He still sometimes forgot how quickly her brain worked, how savvy she was with that kind of stuff.

"So that gives us plenty of time tomorrow to drive up to the cabin for the day," suggested Max.

"Um, okay." Logan wasn't sure where she was going with this. "It could be fun, but that's an awful lot of driving and gas for just one afternoon. Don't you think?"

She nodded. "But your tank is almost full." She pulled sector passes from her pocket and placed them on the table, "And I have these. And an idea."

He leaned forward on his elbows and pursed his lips. He had a feeling this was going to be good or really bad. "Okay, Max. What's your idea?"

"I have to tell you something, and you're not going to like it very much, but I need you to understand why I did it without getting mad at me." She gave him a small smile.

He stifled a grin at how she's made her words match his. Barring something horrible, there was no way she could upset him. "Well, you'd better go ahead and tell me," he managed.

She sighed. "I told Zack he could use the cabin." Logan's eyes widened. "Not all the time, obviously, but just when he needs a place to lay low for a couple of day. Or if one of the other kids is in trouble," she revealed. "I think he stays sometimes when he doesn't have anywhere else to go. He really liked it there." She finished, looking quickly at Logan to gauge his reaction.

"So your 'brother' is probably holed up in my cabin right, now and we're gonna go up and hang out for the weekend? I can tell he really likes me. It'll be a great time." Logan pontificated, still not putting it all together.

Max had figured he would be at least mildly peeved until she explained to him what she was thinking. She started explaining. "Maybe. Probably not, but I was thinking it's likely the best place we can leave him a message to get in touch with us."

Logan still didn't know how he felt about asking Zack and the other X5s for their help and blood. Actually, he knew exactly how he felt about it. He didn't like it at all. But until he talked to Dr. Takahashi and found out for sure, he guessed it couldn't hurt anything more than his pride to try to contact Zack. Besides, he hadn't been out of the house in days. A drive in the country would definitely do both of them good. Besides, the chance that the other man was actually at the cabin had to be pretty small.

He looked up into Max's eyes, staring intently and expectantly back at him. He shrugged again. "I guess we do need to talk to him, and since you already went to all the trouble of securing sector passes, which couldn't have been easy, by the way, I say let's go."

Max smiled and moved around the table to his lap. "It _wasn't_ easy to get those passes," she agreed, "And I'm glad you're not being weird about asking Zack for help." Logan ducked her gaze as his face reddened. "Well, I'm glad you aren't refusing to go because you're being _so_ weird about asking Zack for help," she chuckled.

He bristled slightly. "This isn't gonna be easy for me, Max."

She kissed his lips lightly. "I know it isn't, Logan, but thanks for making the effort. That means a lot to me."

"I know you have reservations about all of this, but you're willing to put those on hold for now. And that means a lot to me. The least I can do is go along with this for you," he decided.

"It's not just for me, Logan. It's for us." She swallowed hard. "For this treatment to have even a chance of working, you're going to need and X5, and I might not be the one who can help." Her head dropped slightly as she said this.

Logan's hand found its way to Max's chin and raised her face to his. "Let's get one thing straight right now, you may not end up being the physical stem cell donor, but that doesn't have anything to do with what you mean to me, Max." She tried to look away, but he softly caressed her cheek. "I need you, Max. And I'm not talking about stem cells or Eyes Only legwork. You understand that, right?"

She nodded her head. "Yeah," she understood perfectly because she needed him, too. Not as a place to stay or a meal ticket, but the same way he needed her. But she couldn't say that yet. Agreeing to move in was one thing; it made practical sense, and she liked being around him. Attaching herself to someone else in the type of commitment that would certainly come with speaking words like that was quite another. That was going to take more time.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

"Logan," she whispered, shaking him lightly. He didn't budge. She tried a little louder and harder the second time. "Logan." His breathing pattern changed slightly for about ten seconds, but he didn't otherwise acknowledge her. Finally, she climbed on top of him and gave it one last attempt. "Logan!"

His eyes flew open, his hands jerked up in a defensive position swinging toward her, and she ducked off to the side. "Huh! What?" he muttered, looking around through eyes bleary with sleep and refractory error. He groped at the bedside stand for his glasses. "Max, what the hell?" he managed once he could see her. She was rolling on the bed, hugging her sides, shaking with laughter. "Oh very funny. You're gonna give me a heart attack one of these times. I'm old."

"Shut up," she poked his side and snuggled in next to him. "It's time to get up."

"And what time would that be, exactly," he asked glancing toward the clock.

"Six-thirty."

He groaned. "I think we need his and hers time zones."

"Logan, come on. Get up." She tugged at his arm.

He rolled away from her. "Go back to sleep, Max."

"I can't." She wished that she could, and she'd tried, but it was no use.

"Well, then let me go back to sleep." He pulled the covers over his head to block out the light starting to stream in through the blinds.

"Logan, please. I've already been to the market to get stuff for you to make us a picnic." Her hand found his in the tangle of sheets and blankets and squeezed.

He sighed and sat up, folding the covers over in front of him. "Who in the world is at the market at six-thirty in the morning?"

"Well, I don't know. I was there at five-thirty. The vendors were just setting up their stands, so I got first choice. Marshmallows and everything! We are_ so_ having s'mores."

She made Logan's head hurt, but he couldn't help but laugh. "If we had something to sell, you could set up your own booth out there. Apparently you know all the inner workings of the market."

"Well, you were sleeping. What was I supposed to do? Scrub the floors? I'm pretty sure you pay someone to do that." She tried to pout, but she took another good look at him. His glasses were crooked, his face bore the imprint of a pillowcase fold, and his hair was plastered down on the left side but spiked out on the top and right. She couldn't help giggling.

"What's so funny," he demanded, reaching up to straighten his glasses and rub a hand through his hair.

"Nothing. Are you getting up now?" she asked again. "I'll make you coffee while you're in the bathroom. Will that work?"

It was easier to get up than to argue with her. "Sure, whatever. Just give me a minute to wake up, okay?" He reached toward the chair. Max moved off the bed and took three steps toward the door, waiting to see that he was moving. "Max. I'm going. I swear."

"Okay," she shrugged, walking out of the room.

He shook his head and thought about flopping back down on the bed. But he knew she'd be back to check if she didn't hear movement. He grabbed the chair, transferred, and headed into the bathroom.

When she heard the shower water stop, she started the coffee brewing. By the time he appeared in the kitchen, she had poured his cup and added the milk and sugar. She set it on the counter as he pulled up beside her.

"Thanks," he grinned. The shower had improved his mood immensely. "Where's the picnic stuff?"

She pointed to an organized pile of ingredients on the far end of the counter. "I'm going to get a shower while you're working on it, okay?" She leaned over behind him, inhaled the fragrant scent of his drying hair, and kissed him. Turning, she moved out of the kitchen and toward the guest room.

"Max?" Logan inquired, "What are you doing? You can use the master bathroom." He wasn't sure that she'd ever been in there, but if she was really moving in, she'd have the run of the house.

She blushed and pushed a strand of hair behind her ear. "Most of my stuff is in the other one. I was thinking that maybe it would be better if I kept it in there for now. That way we have our own bathrooms and you don't have to clean out any drawers or anything."

He didn't know if she was thinking more about her or him, but he could see her point. Plus, the entire arrangement hinged on her feeling at home. If this is what she needed, then he would certainly comply. "Sure. That's fine. Although, if it's about drawer space, I think I can make some room for your stuff."

Her flush deepened. "It's okay, Logan. I'd rather keep it like this. If that's okay with you, I mean."

"Of course it is. Whatever you want, Max. That's the only rule, okay?"

She nodded. "I'll be back in a few. Then we can pack the car."

He grinned. She was relentless. "Take your time," he called to her back, disappearing down the hall. Fat chance of that, though. The girl had one speed – supersonic. A survey of her purchases produced a menu consisting of strawberry spinach salad, sliced chicken breast and brie sandwiches on baguettes, assorted fruit and cheeses, and finally Max's s'mores for dessert. He added a bottle of red wine to the basket along with the sparkling water she had already placed in the refrigerator. They could chill further once they got to the cabin. He packed the completed lunch into a basket he found in the back of the cabinet beside the stove. Things were pretty much ready, so he popped into the office to check his email. There were no new developments or messages. A little disappointed, but not surprised, he found himself back in the kitchen waiting for Max.

When she came back, her hair was still damp but pulled into a high ponytail. It made her look innocent and even younger than she already was. She caught him staring and pretended to fool with the bag wrapped across her body. The color still rose in her cheeks, though, giving her the look of having spent time in the sun. Not only was she beautiful and exotic, but she was fresh and adorable. He actually found himself looking forward to the drive and the day, even though it was barely 7:30 in the morning.

"Want me to take this down to the car while you get your stuff?" she asked, motioning toward the basket.

"Nah, I'll be ready to go in a second. We can go down together." He returned to the bedroom to gather a few things and joined her back in the front hall. She was waiting, the picnic basket in her hands.

"Do we need to take anything else, or are there supplies at the cabin?"

"Well, assuming your brothers and sisters haven't fenced everything, there should be."

Her eyes narrowed into little slits. "That's not nice."

"Sorry," he half-heartedly apologized. "You ready to go?" She nodded and they headed to the elevator, descended into the garage and loaded the car. When Logan moved toward the driver's seat, she interrupted.

"You want me to drive? You can sleep if you want," she offered.

He thought about it for a second before deciding he should take her up on it. He _was_ still tired, but he knew she was trying to make up for being so insistent on getting such a jump on the day and forcing him out of bed so early. This relationship stuff was more exhausting than Max at six-thirty on a Sunday morning. Yes. She would drive and he would sleep. He tossed her the keys. She unlocked the car and waited for him to hand off the chair to her for storage in the back.

Once she had stowed it next to the picnic basket, she joined him in the front. "Ready?" she asked as he reclined the passenger seat.

"Sure, why not?" he replied, realizing that his enthusiasm for this mission was quickly waning. He hoped a nap would help.

She ignored him, put the car in reverse, and switched on the radio as they exited the garage. Logan dozed quickly, and when the classical music threatened to put her to sleep, she inserted the CD she'd brought from the office. It was the one he'd made for some unnamed Yale girl, the one with all the songs she liked. She kept the volume low as not to disturb him but found herself humming along within a few minutes.

As she concentrated on the road ahead of her, she tried to focus on her job for the day. When they arrived at the cabin, she'd have to try to tell how long it had been since Zack had been there and who else had been with him. Once she'd had a good look around, she would also be able to ascertain the best place to leave a message. How to code it was the last piece of the puzzle she still needed to figure out. They'd been taught so many ciphers; she tried to remember which one had been Zack's favorite. It had been years since she'd thought about clandestine communications with another X5. She didn't have to decide at that very second, though. They still had a few miles left and the rest of the day at the cabin.

Logan stirred beside her. "Do we need to do something for him?" he asked.

She slowed as they approached the turn. "What do you mean?" She thought Logan must still be dreaming.

"Is Zack okay?" Logan couldn't imagine the life Zack led, although he realized why the other man did what he did. Zack had 11 others counting on him. Even after they had all gone out into the world and made lives for themselves, Zack still held himself responsible for them. Actually, the more Logan thought about it, Zack's situation wasn't unlike his own with the alter ego Eyes Only. The difference was that in creating a way to distance himself and the ones he loved from the danger, Logan had been able to lead a more normal life. At least that's what he kept telling himself. But the truth remained that Eyes Only had crossed over into Logan Cale's life plenty of times before Sonrisa. The shooting was just the most obvious example. And now, Logan was dragging Max into that world where safety and danger teetered on either side of a precariously steep precipice.

But Max had her own demons and secrets from her past. And Logan knew what Zack had to be thinking when he saw the two of them together. There was no way Logan could protect Max from Lydecker and Manticore. There was really no way any "ordinary" could, much less some guy in a wheelchair. It had been easy enough to read on Zack's face. Logan surmised Zack had discussed this very assumption with Max.

The day after Logan had driven Zack and Max to the cabin, Bling found him unconscious in the Penthouse. The resulting surgery left him near death following massive blood loss and with no suitable donor to be found. Somehow, Max arrived just in time. She hadn't ever explained to him what had happened at the cabin or how she had gotten back to Seattle, but he had an idea of what had gone down between her and Zack. Logan was sure that whole fiasco had lowered Zack's opinion of him as well. That had been obvious enough the last time Zack had been in town, when Max wouldn't leave with him and Tinga. But what bothered Logan more than anything was the fact that he cared what Zack thought about him. Zack saw himself as Max's primary protector. Hell, he'd even let Manticore capture him again to save her. On some level, Logan could understand all that, and he assumed that's why Zack's view of him mattered. So that's why he was asking about Zack now. Not so much because he wanted to impress Zack but that this surly, sulking guy was the closest thing Max had to family. If Zack needed some sort of help he could provide, Logan understood that he needed to take care of that, for Max's sake.

She looked over at him as she pulled up to the cabin. "You seriously care?" she asked, not really sure what had changed in the past 45 minutes.

"Well, yeah." Logan tried to be convincing.

Max shot him a sideways glance, not sure what type of game he was playing here. "I'll know a little more about what's going on with him once we take a look around. Let me find out what he's been up to over the past few weeks and then I'll have a better idea." Logan shrugged and sat waiting in the car as Max moved to the back to retrieve his chair. She handed the pieces to him and waited as he assembled it. As he prepared to transfer, Max placed her hand on his. "Thanks for asking, though." She smiled. He felt his face move to match hers. She motioned for him to join her and she started up the path to the cabin's front door.

He followed behind her, the crisp cool air giving him a waking shot. Moving around to the ramp he had finally let Bennett construct, he took note of minor repairs that the porch had apparently undergone. The two rotted boards on the rail and steps had been replaced. The porch swing that had taken up what seemed to be permanent residence in the far corner on the floor was now hanging, swaying slightly in the breeze. It wasn't like he talked to Bennett every day (or week or month), but Logan knew he used the cabin more often than Bennett and Marianne or Jonas. He couldn't imagine who could have been up here tinkering away. Forgetting about Max and her picnic, he propelled himself over to look at the swing. He took his time inspecting it, moving it back and forth and testing the chains. So engrossed in this he was that he didn't hear Max behind him.

She placed her hand on his shoulder. "What's that?" she asked, pointing to the swing.

"Someone set up the porch swing. Bennett and I broke this back chain about 15 years ago. By that time, I had my license and we could come up here by herself, so the elder Cales didn't have to commune with nature anymore. We always talked about fixing it, but we just never got around to it." He pointed to the corner where the swing had come from. "It was over there under a tarp for I don't know how long. I don't even remember the last time I thought about it." He looked closer at the swing. "Actually," he thought aloud, "This isn't the swing. It's a replica. This wood is new." He inhaled, smelling for the fresh varnish. He ran his hand over it. "It's beautiful," he turned to Max, "Isn't it?"

She stepped past him and took a seat on the swing, using her feet to make it sway a little more. She scooted over and patted the seat beside her. He glanced apprehensively. It would be about like trying to get into a bobbing rowboat. "I'll hold it steady," she interjected quickly, seeing the questions in his eyes. She braced the swing and Logan was able to move almost gracefully beside her. Once he arrived, he situated himself and looked over at her. She pushed her feet against the floor of the porch again and started them going. His knees bent permissively with her movements. Together, they looked out over the small lake, the rising fog beginning to burn off as the sun warmed the air around them.

"Who do you think did this?" he finally asked her, as though she'd have any idea.

She pulled a note from her pocket and placed it in his hand. It read:

_Max, _

_Thanks for letting me hang out for a while. I tried to spruce the place up a little bit. Hopefully that will keep Logan from being too mad at you. I'll try to see you the next time I'm in the area but don't know when that will be. _

_Take care, baby sis, _

_Zack_

"Where'd you find that?" Logan asked. She'd only been in the cabin for a few minutes.

"It was in the freezer, all the way in the back, tucked into a groove behind the cooling element."

"Well, if the electricity went out, the frost would all melt and that would get wet. Why did he put it there?" Logan wondered.

"Well, it didn't get all wet, so that means he was here since the last time the electricity went out for a long period of time, right?" Max explained.

"So that way we know about how recently he's been here," Logan was starting to catch on.

Max nodded. "Doesn't tell us much about when he's coming back; he's totally cleaned out any stuff he might have had here, but it couldn't have been long – maybe a week – since he left."

Logan was about half listening. "He did this so I wouldn't be mad at you for letting him use the cabin?" he asked, turning toward her. "Does he think I'm that much of an ogre?"

Max shrugged. "Takes one to know one, I guess." She couldn't help but grin.

"What's that supposed to mean?" he protested.

"He's about as uncomfortable around you as you are around him. Give the guy some credit; he's making an effort." She placed her head on his shoulder and wrapped her arms around his.

"You're right. He is, but I think I'm trying, too," he bent his head toward hers. "It's okay if he stays here when he needs to, assuming he doesn't run into Bennett and Marianne or, God forbid, Jonas."

"For real?" she asked.

"Well, yeah. I can just imagine explaining that to Jonas. Let's just avoid that scene."

She sat up. "Not what I mean, Logan. Obviously, he'll steer clear if anyone else is around, and if someone's on the way up, he'll hear them and be gone before they can have any idea he was here."

"Oh," Logan finally realized what she meant. "Of course he can stay, the others, too." She turned her face up to him, looking up with admiration. No one had looked at him like that in who knows how long. Actually, he knew exactly how long, since people stopped looking up at him. He needed her to keep looking at him like that.

"Thanks, Logan. It's important to know that they have another place to be safe." She buried her head in his jacket and hugged him close.

"They're your family, Max," he pointed out. "If Bennett and Tony were in trouble, you'd do what you could to help them, right?"

He felt her head nod against him. "Of course I would," came her muffled reply, and he knew she meant it.

"So what are we going to do for the rest of the day now that we've figured out the Zack mystery? I'm guessing you've already put your note back in the hiding place."

She grinned. "Well, I don't know about you, but I could handle starting up a fire and making some s'mores."

Logan glanced at his watch. "It's 9:30 in the morning."

Max shrugged. "It's five o'clock somewhere. London, actually."

Logan looked at her and laughed. "God, I love you."


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Sorry it's been a while. I've had part of this for several months but haven't had the opportunity to finish until now.

* * *

Chapter 4

By the time they made it back to the Seattle, the sun was dipping below the horizon. Logan skillfully guided the car into its space. Max was out in a flash, depositing the chair pieces in his lap, and in a matter of minutes, they were riding in the elevator. When the door opened, he started toward the kitchen to help her clean up.

"What are you doing?" she asked, pulling the basket out of his reach. "Go check your email." She pointed toward the computer room.

He smiled his thanks and took off across the apartment. About ten minutes later, five of which he spent cursing the connection, he showed up beside her in the kitchen, a goofy grin stuck on his face.

"Well," she asked.

"She answered." He couldn't stop smiling.

"Obviously. What did she say?" Max prodded.

He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply as his smile expanded, if that was even possible. When he opened them, he exhaled and explained to her the gist of the correspondence. "She definitely thinks her methods are on track with what we've already done. While she hasn't personally worked with Manticore technology, she is familiar with the work of Dr. Yamamoto, the guy Vertes referred to before, and her mentor Taro Hasegawa. Hasegawa died about a year ago of a heart attack, and she's been carrying on their research by herself since then. She says she can't offer any guarantees, but she thinks there's a real good chance that she can help and wants to meet with us, probably on a web chat at first, so we can set up what we'll need in Hawaii and how to obtain DNA samples from the X5s and transport them back to her for analysis. This is going to happen. Isn't it crazy?"

She walked toward him and smoothed his hair back from his face. "It is crazy. Sounds like she really believes her treatments will work. That's what you've been waiting for." She knew she should have said we, but she couldn't make the word come out. She watched his smile shrink a little, but they both pushed on. "So how are we gonna get me out of here? I'm sure Lydecker is watching all the usual routes of escape. If he catches wind of our trip, it will be more like escape and evade than rest and relaxation, if ya know what I mean."

Logan's smile brightened again. "That's one thing I can take care of. You just leave all your travel documents and preparations up to me, and we'll have you under Lydecker's radar in no time."

"My hero," she grinned as she took her place on his lap. "So when's this web chat gonna happen?" she asked as her hands started over his body.

"Um, one o'clock her time, so we've got a couple hours, if you wanted to, uh, do something else for a little while."

"A couple of hours, huh?" Max asked, eyebrows raised. "Well, let's go."

Logan blushed. "I, uh, I mean I was just…" he stammered.

She let her hands travel down his jaw line, her fingers scratching against the scruffy growth. "Logan," she sighed. Weren't they moving past this yet?

"Sorry. I know."

"Are you ready?" she asked, hoping the answer would be yes. She wanted as much of him as he would give her.

He nodded. Together they made their way to the bedroom. Logan stopped off in the bathroom first as Max looked around the other room. She folded up some of the clothing strewn around the space and smoothed the bedcovers. When Logan appeared in the doorway, a suspicious, almost self-conscious smile was on his face.

"What?" she asked, holding her tongue from making an off-color comment. All she needed now was to embarrass him again.

"Bling left a little present in the bathroom."

"Ew," Max crinkled her nose. "Tell the man to flush."

"Not what I mean, Max," he sighed, holding up a little amber bottle. "Apparently he visited Sam Carr and the pharmacy."

"Amazing," quipped Max. "The rest of the city can't seem to find antibiotics and aspirin, yet you can find male enhancement without a problem. I see now how the other half lives."

"Very funny," countered Logan, "But I've never heard you complain when that other half gives you hot water or chicken or parts for the bike."

Max's scowl morphed into a grin. "I guess you're right, but I was just trying to make a point."

"Oh, I get your point, alright. It's just that you get mine, too."

"Sure," shrugged Max. "Don't see what there is to argue about, though. Go ahead and take one of those," she motioned to the bottle, "And get your skinny butt in bed with me."

"I think it takes a little time to work," he hedged.

"Are you afraid of the little blue pill, Logan?" she asked as she walked past him into the bathroom. She pulled a cup from the shelf and filled it with water and handed it to him. "Just take it, please. And try to relax."

"You're a very pushy nurse, you know?" he grumbled as he accepted the cup.

She rolled her eyes as she watched him swallow the tablet as she climbed back across the bed. "Why don't we just hang out here for now?" She settled back on the pillows. "We can wait and see what happens," she suggested, suddenly more patient that he'd ever seen her.

Logan sighed heavily as he scooted in beside her, leaning back against her so that his head rested against her chest. "I'm sorry this isn't easier, Max. I'm sorry this isn't normal." He apologized once again.

She leaned down and kissed his face lightly, answering him without words as her hands found their way across his chest. He moaned softly in her embrace. After several moments, he thought to check on the progress below.

"Uh, Max," he whispered hoarsely, amazement straining his voice. "It's, um, I mean, we're …"

She pulled away and slipped from underneath of him, moving around to his side. He watched her reach her hand forward to touch. Grinning, she looked up at him. "Okay?" she asked.

He nodded breathlessly. In a flash she was there, ready and on top of him, her mouth working in the ways they had already established would pleasure him. Simultaneously, he started with her neck, his tongue working furiously while his hands held firmly to her hips, keeping their bodies in rhythm, or at least letting his have an idea of what she was doing. As she continued up top, he felt his own release coming. But he had no idea how close she was. He looked up into the dark pools of her chocolaty eyes.

"Almost," she panted. He held tightly to her, willing his unwitting body to elicit a response from her perfect one. Second later, she shuddered and collapsed on his chest. Breathlessly and with flushed cheeks, she peered up toward his face, offering a satisfied grin. She climbed forward onto his chest.

He felt his own smile forming. He didn't need to ask her anything. Their eyes locked. She offered the most seductive nod Logan could have ever imagined. He sighed contentedly and let his head fall back against the pillow and reached his hand out to her. She slinked in beside him, leaving her leg draped across his waist. She found his mouth with hers and kissed deeply. He pulled her into him to return it before he nodded off, the kiss being the last thing he remembered before she nudged him awake two hours later.

"I didn't want to wake you, but the chat is in 25 minutes," she crooned into his ear. He let her help him sit forward, and he reached for the chair. She followed him into the bathroom, draping her body across his shoulder to peck him lightly on the cheek. As she straightened up, she attempted to smooth his hair, but each strand sprung back to its original skewed position. She started to back out of the room, and he grabbed her hand.

"Max, it's going to work, right?" he asked.

She leaned down and kissed his lips this time. The question felt extremely loaded, but she could answer him honestly in the moment. "Yes, Logan. It's working." He grinned back to her reflection in the mirror. "Now get ready to meet the doctor. You don't want to keep her waiting." He nodded and turned back to his own reflection, attempting to plaster his hair into submission with only a handful of water. Max grinned as she silently exited the bathroom. She'd let him figure that out on his own.


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: It's been a while, but I finally had time to move things forward. Reviews are welcome as always.

* * *

Chapter 5

"As for the X5s, she thinks your idea is great. And get this – to get samples of their DNA, all they have to do is swish some Scope around in their mouths for about a minute and spit it in a transport container. She says it keeps in that medium without refrigeration for up to three months. Isn't that crazy? It will actually be feasible to test any of your siblings who would be willing to help," gushed Logan. It was almost as though he'd forgotten to act weird about asking the others to help. Then he darkened. "I mean, if we can find them."

"Logan," Max crooned as she leaned forward on the low chair and placed her hand on his. "Zack will be in touch with us as soon as he can be, and I'm sure he's going to help."

"Oh, God. I didn't even think about that," he exhaled as he rubbed his hand forward in his hair, biting absently on the side of his thumb as he finished. "What if he doesn't want to help?"

"Logan. Seriously, you're killing the mood." Max slid off the edge of the chair and nearly hopped into his lap. "We'll figure it all out," she promised as she kissed him.

He placed her hand on his chest. "It beats so fast when you do that."

"I plan to do this a lot, so your heart had better get used to it," she confirmed.

"And you'll have plenty of time to do it. Later." He said as he carefully removed her hand. "I still have a lot of work to do now." She frowned. The moment was completely over now. Logan digressed further. "I need to talk to Bennett. I think he can help us with transport, and really, he and Marianne might be up for a trip to L.A."

Max stood and walked back toward the kitchen. "The more the merrier. I like Marianne. She's nothing like your aunt," she mused out loud.

Logan leaned back around the corner. "Yeah," he chuckled, "Thus her appeal."

Max reappeared with two steaming mugs of coffee. "What about my job? I don't think Normal's gonna be down with me takin' off so much time. I don't think a doctor's note is gonna cut it for three months in Hawaii, ya know?" She handed over Logan's mug.

"I've been meaning to talk to you about that," he started, reaching back to scratch his head as he took his first sip.

"Oh yeah?"

"Um, yeah." She moved over to sit on the arm of the chair beside him. "I know you need your space and your own way to make a living and all that, but what if you worked for me, or more specifically for Cale Industries?"

Max scrunched her face into a frown but paused a second before answering. "I don't think that's a very good idea." He could tell she was trying to be diplomatic as she continued. "It's not that I don't appreciate the offer, but I'm starting to feel like I owe you too much, and I know that doesn't matter to you, but I know that you know it matters to me."

"I do," Logan affirmed. "But short of me buying Jam Pony, which I've looked into, I'm not sure how to help you keep your job." He gave a brief shake of his head accompanied by a bewildered shrug. "Unless you want to bank on the fact that Normal will take you back in three or four months, that there will be a spot and he'll allow you to fill it."

"Yeah. I guess that's a pretty big gamble." She drummed her fingers on the chair's leather upholstery.

"And you know better than me," continued Logan, "If you should be straight up with him or just ask for the time off."

"It's really hard to know with him. Guess I'll have to play it by ear."

"Well, let me know if there's anything you want me to do, okay?"

"I will," she said as she stood and walked toward him and kissed him on the cheek. "I'm gonna blaze, though. Got some stuff I gotta check on tonight."

He grabbed her hand and pulled her down into a proper embrace. "Yeah, sure," he sighed as he released her. "Thanks for the picnic – for the whole day, actually."

"No prob," she winked and she slinked toward the door. She slid her Jam Pony bike out of its keeping place and headed to the street. As she passed through the Sector Checkpoint, she flashed her messenger Sector Pass and slipped through the lines. Approximately half an hour after she left Logan's, she found herself in the apartment she guessed she still shared with Original Cindy.

"Hey, Boo. Didn't 'spect to see you back here tonight," shot Cindy as Max hung her bike and shrugged out of her leather jacket.

Max flipped her a tube of toothpaste. "I know you like Crest, but all he had was Colgate."

"Beggars can't be choosers, Sugah," Cindy crooned. "Besides, anything's better than the baking soda mess Kendra whipped up." She turned the tube over in her hands. "But you didn't tell me what you're doing back here. I know it wasn't to bring me this."

Max shot Cindy a grin as she headed into her room. "True," she called back over her shoulder. She returned a second later with her helmet in hand. "I needed to feel a little wind in my face tonight."

"So no kiss and tell?" her roommate pushed.

Max shook her head with a little smirk crossing her face. "Not tonight."

"Whatchu gonna do about your bike for work?"

"I'll stop by before work to pick it up, I guess." She shrugged. "Or something."

"Be careful. Although I guess it is easier to get out of Sector Police lockup when Ritchie Rich is footin' the bill," mused Cindy in a parting shot.

"See you tomorrow," Max affirmed as she pushed the Ninja toward the elevator, which thankfully was working. She didn't have to risk anyone seeing her carrying the bike down the stairs.

Once she hit the street, she turned toward the Space Needle and opened up the throttle. When she saw its shadow in the distance, she pulled into her regular hiding spot and secured the bike. Then, she continued toward the landmark and climbed to her regular place. As she slipped through the maintenance hatch, she immediately crouched into a strike position, seeing another figure sitting in her usual spot.

Hands raised, the person slowly turned toward her. "Easy, Max. It's just me," Zack whispered.

She straightened and walked toward him. "What are you doing up here?"

"What do you think I'm doing up here?" He shrugged. "I'm lookin' for you."

She brushed a lock of hair out of her face and allowed her feline senses to adjust to the low light as a cloud covered the half moon. "You could have come to Cindy's. Or Logan's."

He nodded. "Yeah, but I just wanted to see you."

She rolled her eyes. "Okay, well, you've seen me now."

"I got your note," he said as he raised from his own crouching position.

"Oh," she blinked, "Already?"

He nodded again. "So you guys saw the steps and the swing and all that?"

Max smiled. "Yeah, we did. Logan was grateful. He wanted to thank you. You should stop by."

Zack snorted. "I'm sure."

"Zack. He's trying."

"He needs something from me, from us. Maybe that's why."

"Oh please, Zack. You're the one who has a problem with him, not the other way around."

"Whatever." He reached into his jacket and pulled out a plastic container. "Just give him this."

"What is it?" Max asked aloud as she took the offering. "And what he needs is the locations of the other X5's, not your leftover whatever this is."

"It's my DNA, Max. In mouthwash just like your doctor ordered."

Her eyes were saucers. "Are you following me, us?"

"Just take it to Logan; it's what he needs."

"We already tried it with my stem cells and he had an immune reaction cuasing rejection. We have to make sure we find the best match. It could be any one of us. Well, of you all. It's not me."

Zack wrapped his hand around Max's and the vial. He stared deeply into her eyes and began speaking very pointedly. "Logan's grandfather and father were very important men. Very generous men, as well. They've always been interested and invested in the Department of Defense. His uncle still is."

"So?" Max shot back, as defiantly as possible, not permitting her mind to go the places Zack was asking her to take it.

"They gave more to the cause than money."

Max felt the blood drain out of her face as she could not longer block what Zack was telling her. "No. Zack, no."

"Give him that vial. It will be the closest match he'll find among us."

She took a step but stumbled backward. He caught her arm and steadied her. "It's not true. How could you even know? We were modeled after great men and women of history, not benefactors, if they even were."

Zack shrugged, "And Lydecker and his wife. I've seen my file, Max. I know who and what I'm made of."

Max shook her head. "You're wrong."

"Maybe I am, but take it. See if it works."

She took steps toward the hatch and started down the ladder but stopped. "What about his mother? I'm not …" She couldn't even fathom thinking it.

"No. Not as far as I know."

"He can't know this; you can't say a word."

"I won't. But will you climb in his bed so easily knowing who and what he comes from?"

She left his question in the air as she descended into the night, mounted the Ninja and roared away, still not sure if she would be heading in the direction of Fogle Towers tonight.


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: Thanks for bearing with me. This story remains in progress, it's just slow going. Hopefully, I'll find the inspiration to finish sooner rather than later.

* * *

Chapter 6

Within minutes she'd made up her mind. Tires screeching, she whipped the bike around and rocketed back to Sector 9. While it took her about 90 minutes to make it through checkpoints, she didn't worry about the hour. Logan barely slept, even less frequently at night. He was bent over the computer, completely engaged on the data streaming on the screen when she slid onto the back of his chair. He leaned his head back against her.

"I was hoping you'd come back tonight. Done already?"

She ruffled his hair slightly. "Yeah, I guess so. For tonight anyway."

He motioned toward the screen. "I'm almost done here. Do you want to take a bath?"

Max stood. "Yeah,"

"Hey," Logan sighed, grabbing for her hand. "I meant with me."

"Oh, right." She grinned. "That would be better. I'll get things ready while you finish." She walked back the hall into the bathroom and absently began drawing the bath in the humungous tub. Zack's earlier revelation about Logan's father shook her. Even now, as she reached out her hand to retrieve a towel from the closet, the slight tremor in her hand gave her away. Or it would have if Logan had been in the room. She clenched the offending hand into a tight fist. That wouldn't do at all. He was far too observant. He would start asking questions and she still hadn't decided what, if anything, she was going to tell him. Why was she always in this position – keeping secrets from Logan?

Before she could reconcile things in her own mind, he was heading down the hall toward her. "All set?"

"Yeah." She was smiling again now. "The water's not too hot, just right." She moved onto his lap as he pulled the shirt over his head, wrapping her arms around his neck. He slipped his hands under her shirt. She shrugged out of it as she leaned into his torso.

"Why is it that all we do is eat and take baths?" He inquired as her slid the two of them onto the ledge of the tub. She slinked out of her pants as she tugged on the bottoms of his. She shrugged but trained her eyes on him as she pushed him back into the warm suds.

"Well. I'm usually hungry and dirty, and you like to spend time with me."

"It's true that I don't mind the company," he affirmed as she sat back on his lap.

She tried to hold herself in the moment but felt her mind wandering – to Zack's folder and the small container she had tucked safely into her messenger bag. She walked herself back through the halls of Manticore. Had she seen Jonas before? No. She was sure of it. But his father? She didn't think so, but she'd never expected to, never thought of him in that context.

And how much would Logan need to know? She wouldn't actually have to tell him the entire story. She could even give him the sample for analysis, and they might not even need to endanger her brothers and sisters if Zack's research proved valid. And really, as long as it worked, why would he ever have to know? And if the issue ever came up, he'd understand why she'd kept this under her belt. Wouldn't he?

"…Bennett and Marianne are excited about the trip. Marianne hasn't been back since she graduated from USC more than 10 years ago. She wants to show you all the sights, well, what's left of them anyway. She gave me a whole list of things we 'just have to do' while we're there. I've never talked to her for more that about five minutes, but apparently all I had to do was mention Los Angeles."

Max blinked. The water was cooler and only wisps of bubble bath floated by her hand. Logan's hand reached up to slowly massage circles between her shoulder blades, working to bring her back to him. He knew where she'd been, it was where she always went. His hand traveled down her back. His arm wrapped firmly, protectively around her waist. He was offering security, a home. Max wanted that more than anything. She wanted it with him. How could she build their house on lies?

She pulled his hand to her lips and kissed it as she slipped off his lap to a seated position beside him. "Sorry. I was…" she started.

"I know. It's okay. You're safe here, Max."

She leaned her head against his shoulder. "Mmm," was all she could bring herself to give as an answer. She reached forward and added more hot water to the tub, giving them another ten or fifteen minutes of soaking before they moved into the bedroom.

Once he was sleeping soundly, she detangled her limbs from his and tiptoed down the hall. The boiler's sibilant hisses and the moaning of the floorboard in front of the living room window held even her catlike reflexes on edge. She hadn't charged herself with keeping secrets from Logan for months, and she didn't enjoy the feel of it now.

She reached into her bag to retrieve the small plastic container containing Zack's DNA. Turning it in her hands in the glow of the city's lights, she again weighed her options. She'd racked her brain to think of a way to have the sample analyzed without Logan finding out that she'd gone behind his back. No luck. She'd have to give it to him. But she'd tell him nothing else. Zack's rant may have been nothing more than jealousy, although she doubted it. She needed more information before she implicated Logan's father as a Manticore contrubitor and conspirator. There were other sources of information out there, like Sebastian, who could help her achieve verification. But it would take time. And by then, maybe Logan could meet her eye to eye and the blow of betrayal wouldn't sting quite so much.


End file.
